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The Proposal

It is proposed to permanently expand the school from a capacity of 210 places to 420 places from September 2018.

Consultation

An informal public consultation was carried out by the local authority during the period 26 September and 23 October 2016. A public meeting was held at the school on Wednesday 5 October 2016.
The outcome of the consultation was reported to Cheshire West and Chester Borough Council’s Director of Education on 1 November 2016. The report includes a summary of the written responses received.

It is proposed that the school is permanently enlarged, adding a total of 210 places, increasing the published admission number of the school from 30 to 60 for Reception Year entry September 2018. The published admission number for subsequent years would be 60 and the school would cumulatively grow to reach a total capacity of 420. The school would be provided with additional classrooms to accommodate the expansion. Additional accommodation will be provided to ensure an adequate infrastructure for the increased numbers.
Analysis of future demand for school places captured through collation of school planning data that analyses local birth rates, recent and proposed housing developments and patterns of parental preference suggests that this provision is required to ensure a local sufficiency of primary school places.

Objective

This proposal seeks to ensure that all children are able to access a local school of their parent’s preference that is judged by Ofsted to be ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’. Ofsted consider this to be a ‘Good’ school.
The school is currently over-subscribed in five out of seven of its year groups with a future shortfall of places in all year groups being forecast. The creation of additional places will enable more children to attend the school of their parent’s preference.

The effect on other schools, academies and educational institutions within the area

It is not considered that this will have a negative impact upon the four neighbouring schools in the local school planning area (as used by the Education Funding Agency for the purpose of school place planning). Whilst there is currently some surplus capacity in these schools it is anticipated that the child yield from a number of proposed local housing developments will ensure that the full capacity of all schools will be required to ensure a sufficiency of local places.

Project costs and indication of how these will be met, including how long term value for money will be achieved;

The budget for the project has been set at £2m. A feasibility study is currently being undertaken to establish the final approach to design. Appropriate funding has been identified within the Education Funding Agency Basic Needs funded element of Cheshire West and Chester Borough Council’s capital programme. Building works will be procured through a process of competitive tender.

Implementation and any proposed stages for implementation

It is anticipated that if this proposal is approved by the Cabinet Member for Children and Families a scheme of building works will be competitively procured and completed to enable occupancy of the expanded school from 1 September 2018. The school has already admitted children in excess of its current published admission number in September 2016 and proposes to do the same in September 2017. From September 2018, and in subsequent years, up to 60 children would be admitted into the Reception Year allowing the school to grow to a total capacity of 420. The proposal remains subject to planning permission.

The procedure for responses: support; objections and comments

A public notice was published in a local newspaper on Wednesday 7 December 2016 and is available on the Cheshire West and Chester Borough Council’s website: